Not Prodigal
by Natasha Staleek
Summary: No one understood the one rule Natasha had... except Pepper and Clint. When they try to figure it out, the mind games begin.
1. Director

The Avenger's Tower had become a hotspot for all members of the team, including Thor who had two worlds to choose from. There weren't many rules within the tower, but there were rules. In fact, there was one rule. This one rule was shrouded in mystery just as the one who created it. No one, with the exception of Pepper and Clint, was allowed inside the room that belonged to Natasha Romanoff. She had managed to disable all cameras and thwart any attempt to look inside.

What was more curious was who the exceptions were. This often led to speculations between Tony, Bruce, and Steve as they contemplated why this was. Tony badgered Pepper about it but the woman was stubborn and refused to speak of it with him. She had been sworn to secrecy by the deadly assassin. All of the other Avengers knew that Clint and Natasha were as thick as thieves and that he would not give up whatever the Spider's reasoning were.

"Okay, Pepper and Natasha are close, so maybe that is why she is allowed in. Obviously Clint and she feel something for each other so maybe it's something about the three of them that we don't know." Bruce hypothesized over this, not knowing that the spider was listening from the hawk's perch. She smirked as she sipped on her morning coffee. Pepper joined her, out of sight as Nat had been teaching her about covert operations behind Stark's back. "Are they talking about the rule, again?" Pepper had easily figured out what their conversation was about.

"Yes, this time they are saying that there is some strange dynamic between the three of us." She was amused as she looked towards the woman who was one of her best friends. Pepper gave a semi-serious look, amusement in her eyes. "He's not wrong though, for once in his life." They fought back laughter that would give away their location to the bickering heroes below.

"What if Clint and Natasha are involved with each other and Pepper is giving them counseling? God knows they would need it." Steve suggested to the others, who seemed to murmur in agreement. Nat tried not to look upset, but still she would rise, her lithe frame moving swiftly down from the perch in the middle of the tower and back towards her room. She remained undetected as she reached the door, leaving it to the cameras in case she wanted to continue to listen to such an idiotic conversation.

Clint noticed that she was upset as he left his own room and so he would follow her in. "Nat? Are you alright?" His words were out of concern as he looked her in the eye. She would only nod as she laid down to get some sleep, she eyed the picture on her nightstand that would remind her that everything is alright every night.

Clint was not convinced however. He would head back outside, carefully shutting the door before heading into the kitchen where speculations would cease. He would sit down next to Steve, sipping his coffee. "Don't let me interrupt your conversation. I believe we were talking about why Nat has her rule about her room." He looked rather smug as he watched the looks on all of their faces. They were practically begging for mercy. By mercy, they were hoping he wouldn't tell Natasha. Which, of course, he didn't have to tell her, she already knew. He would give a glance around the room before shooting a message to Pepper, who was still watching. _Watch this. I hope you don't mind me messing with their heads._

 _Oh no, not at all._

"Do you guys really wanted to know why Nat has her one, single rule?" All of the Avengers leaned in closer. "It's because you all don't have the security clearance to know about all of the information she has stored there. You see, after Nick Fury faked his death, he appointed her Director of SHIELD. This is, of course, until he returns. She's level 10 and you all are only level 7." The looks on their faces were priceless. Pepper fought a snicker in the perch as she climbed her way down, not caring if she was seen or not.

"Pepper? Why were you up there? And why are you allowed in the room?" Tony, the concerned and slightly jealous husband, questioned his wife. "Well, that is a simple answer." She left them dying for answers as she sat down, fist bumping Hawkeye behind her back.

"I've been appointed Assistant Director of SHIELD. I do all of the assignments which requires some alone time with Natasha to figure things out. Hawkeye is allowed in because he is her most trusted advisor." Tony was shocked but there was doubt in his eyes.

"Don't believe me? Think about why I'm always trying to keep you busy – so I can get some work done." With that, the group shut up. Clint and Pepper held the perfect poker faces. They had months if not years before the rest of the group ever had to find out what happened behind closed doors.


	2. Decisions

**AN: So I'm thinking about making this a cross with Agents of SHIELD but I'd like opinions on it? These first few chapters are going to be rough booth plot-wise and writing-wise as I figure out how I'm going to write each character, just a warning.**

Nat had decided to finish listening to the conversation that the men had been having before she had gone to bed, and she nearly showed an emotion when Clint laid it on thick about her being the head of SHIELD. She held her head high as she walked out of her room in her cat suit. Tony seemed to be silent for once in his life. Steve was trying his best to ignore her but he kept looking back to her as if he had his doubts about Clint's words. Bruce wasn't around because he was working in his lab, which was to be expected from him. Thor had returned to Asgard on some important business.

"So boys, anything new today?" Her words were almost a challenge to ask her about why the rule was really in place. Of course, it wasn't the full truth. She had a direct line to Coulson if she needed to talk to the actual Director, but for now she would stick be being the best assassin in the league and the Assistant Director of SHIELD. There had been some truth behind his words after all. She wondered where Clint had gone and how Pepper was doing, but she decided not to dwell on that as she brewed her coffee.

"Clint told me you were the Director of SHIELD. Does that mean I can reinstall cameras in your room?" Stark was very blunt about what had happened and Natasha simply held an evil glare. "Do you still value your life?" The words were a simple enough answer. "Clint was lying, Stark, I'm not the Director. Although, I do have Level 10 Security clearance and a direct line to the real Director." She revealed just enough to keep the Avenger's interested.

"Also, Clint and I aren't together. Pepper is not our counselor." She could see the red in all of their faces as they realized that she had heard the conversation from the night before. She would turn with her mug in her hand and make her way back towards the spider's web. Once she was safe in her room, she got back to looking at the instructions left for her in a folder. She was going to be leaving the tower for what could be the next six months, if not year. It was what had to happen if everything was going to stay under wraps.

She would pick up her phone as is started to buzz. "Coulson? We're a go but part of me just wants to tell them and let them grovel for all of their prying. Besides, what if the Avengers are needed out in the field?"

" _You are NOT going into the field any time soon, Romanoff."_

"I know that, but I could run back-end security details."

" _Do whatever you want, but if you stay I might be forced to reveal I am alive."_

"I will let you know when I have decided what to do, Coulson. Romanoff out."

With that she hung up the phone, her hand on her head as she tried to figure out what she was going to do. She called out to JARVIS, requesting that he send Clint and Pepper to see her. They had so much to discuss

"Nat?" Clint would open the door and walk in as Pepper followed close behind, shutting the door from prying eyes that were trying to see inside the widow's nest.

"I just got off the line with Coulson. The decision is up to me but if I stay, no field assignments for me and he might have to tell the Avenger's he is alive. I don't know why because this matter is solely between the three of us but he sounded like he had other things on his mind."

"Stay. We'll deal with him and that when the time comes. We have a few more months before anyone else has to find out. I know the team will just be back to their usual guessing games." Pepper suggested this with a comforting and supporting smile. She only knew because she had figured it out.

Nat locked eyes with Clint and it was decided. She would stay, for better or worse.


End file.
